Manchester United ‘Only Willing To Pay £90m’ For Bale

Benzema Could Be On His Way

Manchester United have offered to pay no more than €100million (£90million) to Real Madrid for Gareth Bale according to reports from Spain. And it is that offer that means Karim Benzema is now more likely to leave the Bernabeu.

Jose Mourinho admitted this week that his interest in Bale was over after the Welshman started in Real’s 2-1 victory over Manchester United in the Uefa Super Cup in Skopje on Tuesday. Bale played down the link with a move to Old Trafford by saying it was “the same old speculation”. But some outlets still claim a deal could be done.

According to Diario Gol, United’s refusal to pay over €100million is preventing Bale from moving to Old Trafford. It still insists that one of the so-called BBC – Bale, Benzema and Cristiano Ronaldo – will leave the Bernabeu if Real snap up Kylian Mbappe from Monaco. The 18-year-old is being linked with interest from Paris Saint-Germain, as well as Real, with both clubs preparing bids of €180million.

Mbappe was reported on Friday to have told Real and Manchester City that he is joining PSG although the report was denied by PSG coach Unai Emery.

But with Bale undervalued by Manchester United and Cristiano Ronaldo ‘untouchable’ – largely because no club wants to sign a player who could be on his way to jail next year – that leaves Benzema as the player most likely to leave.

Arsenal boss Arsene Wenger is a long-time admirer of Benzema. However, the Gunners boss is unlikely to recruit another striker with Alexandre Lacazette having been signed from Lyon and Olivier Giroud pledginh his future to the club.

But if Benzema doesn’t go then Real may drop their interest in Mbappe. Zidane doesn’t want four strikers and club president Florentino Perez doesn’t want to spend €180million without parting with one of his front men.